Why Won't You Help Me?
by Frankie and Avery.dont ask
Summary: Trench. Post-WWBC. When Rachel is falling apart, who is left to pick up the pieces? Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

_I know I am in the Middle of an HP fic and I will get back to it after my exams end, but I needed to get this out of my head so I could concentrate on European history! Stupid Metternich! So here is a short little ficlet. Probably end up with three chapters. Trench pairing, unbeta'd. Hope you like it!_

_MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE NEW BOOK_

"Morgan. This is a surprise. The last time I saw you, you were playing with demons." His voice was cold, with edge of pain hovering around the edges.

She stared at him as she stood in the middle of his office and wondered what the hell she had come here for. "I had to stop Al from snatching people. He grabbed Pierce and I needed to make sure he wouldn't do it again. It was the only way. Not that I need to explain myself to you, Trent."

The elf raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment. "Why are you here, Rachel?"

She seemed to shrink a little at the reminder of her purpose. Trent's forehead furrowed lightly in confusion. "Trent…I-I need your help."

"You need…With what?"

"I know you have the political power to get this shunning reversed! I know it! You have to help me. I can't work! I can't go out! People are vandalizing my church. I-I have no one else to turn to. You are the only person I know with the power to do this." She was tense. Her body held taut, waiting.

Trent dropped his eyes from her gaze, looking at the floor for a moment. "Rachel, you know I can't do that. I can't risk my reputation by publicly endorsing you and I don't have enough pull within the coven to do it otherwise. It's political suicide if they try to extend the shunning to me too. Rachel, I—"

Her head jerked up and she glared fire at him. Her body still tense as a wound spring, she stalked toward him. "No! You do have that kind of power. I know you do! You have to do this. This is all you fault to begin with, so Fix. It. You bastard!"

"How could you getting shunned possibly be my fault!?!" Trent's eyes widened and he snorted. Wrong thing to do.

Rachel's lip curled back in impossibly apt imitation of Al. Trent shuddered. She snarled at him and leapt. She attacked, punching kicking, screaming, and clawing. He held her off as best he was able and watched her carefully. Fear crept into his eyes as he took in her desperation. She would do anything she had to, to make him do what she wanted. She thought she had nothing left to loose.

After several minutes, the fight seemed to go out of her. She slumped in his grip, head against her chest. She whispered in a broken voice, "It is your fault. You told me you would change. That you wanted to be more. And I believed you. I fucking believed you. No, maybe it's all my fault for being taken in again. For being a stupid fucking idiot. If anything else goes wrong in my life, I think I might just back out on the deal with Al and then he'll come and take you. Even if you are my familiar. He'll take you back with him. To the Ever-After. "

He realized then that she was crying. Ignoring her threats, Trent pulled the petite redhead against his chest and let her weep into his silk shirt. "I have nowhere else to go. You have to help me! If I hadn't gone back to save your ass, none of this would have happened. I sacrificed everything to save you and your stupid race! My freedom, my family, my work, my future! All for you. You have to help me. I thought you'd change, that you really did want to be more. I believed your self-serving lies again and it cost me my whole life!"

"Nothing cost you your life, Rachel. Everything will work out." He murmured softly into her hair.

She lurched back from him and stared him in the eyes. "My mother left me to go live with my brother a thousand miles away. Jenks and Matalina are both dying, one faster then the other and I can't save them. I have no chance now of finding a blood balance with Ivy. I love her, but I can't be what she wants me to be." Trent's gut twisted oddly at her words, but he ignored it. "I can't do my job because I can't get supplies. I've been shunned. No one will sell to me. My church is being vandalized because of it. I have a date every Saturday with a demon just to keep your sorry ass out of the Ever-After. Something I used to do willingly because I suckered myself into believing that you would change. I should have known when you tried to kill me that that would never happen. That you would always hate me. Al said it and he was right. It wasn't Pierce. It was you. You're Rachel candy. Strong and independent and dominating, but then you were in trouble and you needed my help. I hated myself for helping you every time, but I never hated you. I believe you could stop hating me because I wanted you to so badly. And now Al snatched Pierce because I was talking to him inside the line." Trent's gut clenched again at the mention of this unknown guy, who he assumed was the man with whom he had found her and the demon. "He was a ghost but still. Kisten is twice dead and now I know who killed him. I know that Kist gave his life _twice_ because he loved me. I killed him, not that vampire he was given to. It was my fault. My friend and almost boyfriend won't speak to me or acknowledge me because I've been shunned and the worst part of that is that I don't blame him!! And to top all that off, it doesn't even bother me to take curse imbalance anymore. I have to do so much of it for Al that I don't even feel it now."

She was weeping harder then before. Trent pulled her to his chest and rocked her softly for a long time, until she stopped shaking. His beautiful lilting voice whispered sweet empty comfort into her hair as he rubbed circles into her back.

Once the shaking stopped, it took her several long minutes to fully realize where she was and who she had just pored her heart out to. She flinched and pulled roughly away from him. Holding herself carefully, gingerly, as if she felt she might break apart, she trained deadened eyes on the elf. "Thank you for letting fall apart in your office. And Congratulations. Now, we are finally even. I finally hate you as much as you hate me. You ruined my life completely and took everything I have from me. Congratulations."

She turned on her heel and opened the door. Trent cringed at the despair, the defeat, that had etched itself into her frame. She looked as if she had finally reached her breaking point. Strong independent, fierce Rachel, defeated and alone. She looked so alone. He wanted desperately to go to her and enfold her in his arms, to keep her safe from the world that had betrayed her. Her head turned over her shoulder and he could see that she'd closed her eyes. "I never wanted to hate you. I'm not sorry that I went back for you into the Ever-After. But, I've just about had all I can take."

She exited. Trent stood, frozen to the stop, staring at the door for several long minutes. His shirt was wet, his face was almost definitely bruised, and he was late for a very important meeting. He didn't care. He stood and looked at the place where she'd been and didn't care about any of it. He couldn't let the world swallow her up like that. She was right. It was his fault. Especially since he could very well have stopped the shunning. He'd been angry. Angry that she was still dealing in demons and angry that she hated him and angry that he couldn't be who he'd told her he wanted to be. He was going to fix this. She would not break from this. He couldn't allow that to happen. Not to his fiery little witch. Shaking his head at the thought, he reached over to the desk and snatched the phone. Dialing a number, he waited only a moment.

"Hello? Yes. This is Trent Kalamack. Yes. I need you to do something for me…"

­

Rachel wandered the halls of Trent's house, that labyrinthine pit, completely lost. She had started crying again and she hated herself for it. Why could she just not get it together? Life goes on. Well, it would once she got the fuck out of here.

Hearing a faint noise she looked up and relief washed through her so strongly that she almost dropped to the floor. "Quen! Oh my god! You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"

"Ms Morgan. I believe that you are lost. Am I correct?"

She nodded helplessly. "This house is a fucking maze! Please just get me the fuck out of here."

His voice dropped a little as he reached her to take her arm. "Rachel. Everything is going to be alright. Trent will back you, I am positive, and the shunning will be revoked. You only need to swallow that pride of yours and ask him."

A fresh tear dripped from her eye and she brushed it angrily away. She turned to face him, putting her back to the corridor. "Trent won't touch me, he will barely have anything to do with me. And he certainly won't back me publicly."

"Yes he will, just—"

"No, Quen. I did ask him. He won't do it. And the most horrible part of this whole thing, is that I can't blame him either. It would tarnish his reputation with something that could never be polished away. I'm the plague, Quen. I'm a freaking albatross! Trent's right not to try and save my skin."

This little speech caused Trent, who had come in search of her to make sure she got out okay, to go perfectly still. He stood behind her at the other end of the corridor. His perfect eyes were wide in shock and his mouth hung open a little. His eyes met Quen's eyes, filled with disapproval and a touch of anger, and the bodyguard gave a minute shake of his head. Breathing rapidly, Trent turned on his heel and disappeared down a different corridor.

"Come with me, Rachel. I will get you to your car."

Later, the redhead would have a very hard time remembering how she got home. She remembered getting into her car, but then she was at her front door, keys in hand. Shaking her head, she opened the door and entered, praying that no one was home. For once, her prayers were answered.


	2. Chapter 2

P.S. you know the drill. I am poor college student. I own nothing.

The next morning came much too early for Rachel, who would have preferred to remain under the protection of her comforter for the rest of her life. She arose, however, and went through the motions of living. She could almost feel the depression settling into her chest, a crushing weight that she was never going to escape.

A silk robe pulled on over her bra and panties, she padded her way to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. The morning paper was sitting face up on the island counter and the room was empty. As she waited for the coffee to percolate, she glanced at the paper and froze.

"That's it. I've finally snapped. I'm hallucinating." The glaring headline **COUNCILMAN ADVOCATES FOR SHUNNED WITCH** stare back at her. She lifted a hand to grab the paper but she was shaking too badly. She couldn't control it. A little voice in the back of her mind said that she was going into a violent shock, but she ignored it. Moisture clouded her vision as she tried to read the article.

**In a politically surprising move this morning, councilman Trent Kalamack publicly endorsed Rachel Morgan of Vampiric Charms, a runner who was recently shunned by the Coven for moral and ethical standards. In an exclusive interview with the man himself, Trent revealed his close connections to the witch and personally vouched for her character. "She's a wonderful person." He said, then added with his trademark grin. "Sometimes a little annoying, but still." He went on to say that he would use whatever resources in his power to have the shunning revoked. **

**Rachel Morgan, as our readers well know, was the witch who…** Rachel skipped the description of herself, skimming down to the next paragraph.

**Trent further said that he was the reason behind her most recent demon encounter, which was at the basis of the shunning. "I was betrayed by a close friend of mine. If Rachel had not saved me, I would right now be demon fodder. The demon mark she wears, she took for me. Her aura has smut on it that should be mine. She is not a black witch. She is a white witch who was forced into making extremely tough decisions. She has acted nobly and from her heart in everything I have ever seen her do. She is an example of what a fine witch, and a fine woman, should be." The interview's interest was piqued at this glowing endorsement from the powerful councilman, as we are sure to reader's is. His evasive response to follow up questions was accompanied by a very faint blush. "Rachel is a close friend. We grew up together. She is important in my life. Other than that it's not really any of your business." Being a gentleman, he of course apologized for being rude. **

**For all his evasion, it sounds to us like the councilman has finally been caught and what a great catch he is. However, now that the reasons behind the admittedly rather dubious looking recent events is known, we are confident that the shunning will be revoked. Councilman Kalamack also informed us that the mall riot and other recent black magic that has been attributed to Ms. Morgan was in fact the fault of a female banshee, whose name was not disclosed. The woman has been apprehended by the FIB, with the help of Ms. Morgan at great personal risk, and is currently in custody awaiting trial. This paper would like to humbly apologize to Ms. Morgan for wrongly accusing her of a great many things. We hope that in future truth will be the main focus of our reporting, rather then public opinion. **

Rachel could no longer stand; the shaking was so bad. She slid to the floor; tears that she couldn't control pouring down her face. "This c-can't be-be real! W-Why would T-Trent d-do this for me?"

Her gaze was trained on the tiles under her feet, completely unfocused. She felt light, weightless, like she might float away. She was dizzy, though. The world spun around her and she thought she might faint. The only steady object was the newspaper in her hand.

It took a long time for her to come back to herself. She was cramping when she realized she was slumped on the floor. She stood shakily, feeling the sudden and intense need to see Trent, to find out why. The further she walked the steadier she because until she was nearly running to the front hall. Shoving her bare feet into a bare of boots and pulling on her long felt coat, because it was hanging there, she snatched her purse off the little table by the door. Pulling out her keys, she hurried to the car. She was nearly wild, driving almost blindly and much to fast. She _needed_ to see Trent. Now.

In a much shorter time then it should have taken, she was pulling into the opening to his estate. The gravel crunched as she parked and leapt from the driver's seat. She did not spare a passing thought for that fact that they had let her in without question and she didn't even have to slow down. The gate had been open for her. She rang the bell and pulled the coat tightly around her. It was cold and she was not dressed for the weather. She ignored the temperature and bounced in her shoes. Nervous energy ran through her every movement. Surprisingly, Quen opened the door.

"Quen! I need to see Trent right now! I don't care what he's doing. I _need _to see him." Her hair was wild and windswept. Her legs under the coat were bare and shaking. In fact, her whole body was shaking.

"Ms. Morgan. Rachel. Are you alright?" Concern filled his voice as he ushered her inside.

"I will be when I see Trent. Please, Quen!" Her eyes begged him and he saw the newspaper clenched tightly in her fist. He was sure she didn't even realize she had it.

"Alright, Ms. Morgan. I will announce you. Follow me, please." There was a hint of amusement in his tone and affection.

"Thank you."

The two made their way up to Trent's home office, where he was currently holding an extremely important meeting with several company-heads from across the world. Quen knocked softly and enter, shutting the door behind him as Rachel paced nervously.

"Sa'han, Ms. Morgan is here to see you and I believe it is urgent." The amusement was much more evident now.

The blonde elf glanced from the men sitting at the table with him to Quen and back. "How urgent?"

"Very…"

"Yes, well—" Apparently, it was _very_ urgent, as the door opening cut off his remark. Rachel entered looking, Trent thought, more beautiful then he had ever seen her. Her eyes were sparkling with an intense light and her hair floated around her like a halo. It almost looked as though she were standing on the edge of the Ever-After. He stood.

"Ms. Morgan, what—"

"Why! Why did you do it, Trent? You'll ruin you reputation! Then everything will be for nothing!_ Everything_ will be gone!" She looked about to cry.

It was then that he noticed what she was wearing. Her coat was hanging wide open, revealing a parted silk robe and a matching set of black lace underwear. His eyes widened. She must have come directly here from reading the paper at breakfast. He hoped she turned off the stove. "Rachel! Calm down! Nothing is ruined."

He went to her and hugged her. He didn't care if it was in front a room full of potential business partners. He reached up and smoothed the hair from her face. "Everything is fine." He turned. "Excuse us for a moment, gentlemen."

Her wild eyes shifted from his face to the men in the room and she gasped. Glancing down at herself she flushed and, turning she rushed from the room. Trent followed, muttering, "I will never understand her."

In the waiting room, which Sarah Jane had vacated, Rachel was once again pacing. Her coat and robe flared widely, like she didn't care if she exposed her body to him. She was much too distracted right now to worry about it. Trent, however, was finding immensely difficult to think of much else. Clothed she was beautiful. In barely anything but black lace bra and panties, she was exquisite.

"Trent! Why? Please, tell why you ruined yourself for me! I saved you so you could do good, save the elves, help people! You can't do that if you throw it all away because I guilted you into saving my ass, when it's not worth saving!"

Trent grabbed her again, and drew her to him. "Rachel! Calm down. Breath. Nothing is ruined." He felt her deep breath and then she relaxed in his arms. "I wasn't guilted into doing anything. When you left yesterday, I realized you were right. I meant what I said in the Ever-After. I do want to be more then I am. It is my fault that all this is happening to you…Okay maybe not all, but a lot of it. I wanted to fix it. I want to see you smile again. I never ever want to see that horrible defeat in your eyes again. You're a good person, Rachel Morgan. I believe what I told that reporter. You're a good person and a white witch."

She gazed up at him, her eyes wide and her lips parted. "But your reputation! You're a councilman! You—"

"My reputation can go Turn itself." He smiled softly at her. "Rachel…"

She stared at him not moving, as he lowered his head. He kissed her lightly. When he pulled back, he was greeted by a huge smile. He smiled in return. "Rachel, I want to be more for you. I never wanted you to hate me and I never hated you. You scared the shit out of me sometimes, but I never hated you. When I attacked you after we returned, I wasn't thinking straight. I was terrified and traumatized and I need to lash out at someone. I am so sorry that it was you. I'm sorry you can't have the family you always wanted. I'm sorry that because of me you trapped in a deal with… that thing. I…I think I'm falling in love with you and I can't help myself. I'm sorry about that too…"

He released her and turned away, not willing to see the disgust in her eyes. "I know you're in love with Ivy and I know that you were dating that swimmer guy. I am doing what I can to get the shunning revoked and it should be done by the end of the week. Then you can go back to your life and your loves and then you don't ever have to see me again. I'm so sorry I made you hate me."

She watched the hunch of his shoulders as he took a couple steps away from her. He could seem to move properly. "Trent…"

He straightened his shoulders, but didn't turn back to her. "I never hated you and I never will. I said that to you yesterday to hurt you. I didn't think it actually would. I love Ivy, yes, but I could never be with her. I'm just not made that way. I do not love Mitchell and I never will. He's safe. He was fun and now he's gone. And I don't have a thing for Pierce, no matter what Jenks will tell you. I don't care if he is Rachel Candy." She took a couple steps closer, almost so that she was pressed against his back. "Trent. Honestly, I have nothing left to lose and you can't use it against me any more. I'm in love with you. I have been since we were at camp together. I didn't know it until we were trapped in the Ever-After together, but I realized then that you mean everything to me. I can't—"

Trent spun and stared at her. "You mean it?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Okay, I pulled some low stunts in the past, but that is just insulting. Of course, I mean it!"

A grin impossibly wide pulled his mouth up and he seized her. Spinning her around in the air, he hugged her fiercely. "I love you, Rachel Morgan. I never thought I'd ever love anyone."

She held his face in both hands and gazed at him for a moment. Then she kissed him with such urgency and passion that it nearly took his breath away.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is probably the last chapter, though I might do a mini epilogue. The whole this was stupid, I realize but it wouldn't leae me alone and I didn't have to time to spend fleshing out their relationship anymore. Which it should have been. They have way to many issues to work out for it to happen exactly like this! Anyway. Thanks for reading, drop me a review. **

**I might do a short Al/Rachel fic, because I legitimately think that Al is in love with her…**

**Enjoy!**

A round of applauds pulled them apart. Standing in the doorway was the group of men with whom Trent had been meeting. They were grinning at the couple and clapping. Rachel flushed and Trent laughed lightly. He felt like nothing could bring him down at this moment. "Thank you, gentlemen. Can we perhaps reschedule this meeting for tomorrow, so as to not detain you any more then necessary? As you can see, I…uh…I have things which I need to take care of." The elf grinned.

All the men nodded and agreed readily. Returning to Trent's office to gather their belongings, the men left. Trent picked Rachel up fully and carried her into his inner office. He placed her down on his leather couch. She watched him, smiling softly. He inhaled slowly and bit his lip. Not sure that he should bring up this topic now but needing to desperately, he spoke, "Rachel, I know you want to have children and I know you think that you can't—"

"I can't. If I do, they'll be demons. That was why you tried to kill me, remember? Why are you bringing this up now?" She turned her eyes away from him and her smile vanished.

"Rachel, I think if you let me, I could, uh, help you. I…" He flushed a dark red and glanced away from her as he said, "I've been looking into the whole demon-baby thing. And…They tested some of your blood samples from a while back, but it, uh, it looks like you can have children with elves, but not Weres or witches. Um, I don't know about living vamps, though. We didn't get that far."

She stared at him for several long minutes, until he looked back at her. He had a funny look in his eyes. "Trent…"

He ducked his head again and mumbled an apology, acting completely out of character. "Trent!" He looked up at her. "Are you telling me that you can give me children?"

If possible, his face flushed even darker. "Well, any elf really, I think, but… Yeah. Something that they did to you to fix the disease made it so that you can have children with other Inderlander races. Apparently, something in elf DNA neutralizes the demon trait. Actually, so far the only elf DNA they tested was mine. I think they planned on testing Quen next." His voice had a bitter tint.

Again, she stared at him for a long moment. Then she flung herself at him. Not really knowing what she was about to do: she could very well attack him and scratch his face off for presuming to test the compatibility of their DNA, he drew back away from her. Instead of attacking however, she threw her arms around his neck and began kissing every part of his face she could reach. "I can't –kiss- believe that –kiss- you would –kiss- do something –kiss- like this – kiss- for me! –kiss- I love you! –kiss- We can have children!"

He stilled, stunned that she would even want_ his_ children. Maybe it was the joy of knowing she could actually have kids that weren't demons that was overriding her revulsion at having his children. He knew that she had said that she loved him, but he was having trouble believing it. He definitely didn't believe that she would want _his_ kids.

She drew back when she felt him freeze. "I'm sorry! Maybe you don't want kids! Or not mine anyway! I mean all we did was kiss. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to… God, I'm an idiot."

His face split into a huge grin. That had sounded rather sincere. "You mean you would have my children? Not just because you so badly want children who aren't demons?"

"I—" She looked at him, wonder in her eyes as she examined her feelings. "Yes." She whispered. Then she laughed. "Wow. This is going way too fast for me! We haven't even had sex yet and we're already talking about having kids."

Trent laughed with her. The situation was a bit odd. Rachel Morgan wearing nothing but lingerie and a coat was sitting in front of him telling him she loved him and wanted his children. He kissed her softly. "I must be dreaming." He murmured gazing at her.

"If it's a dream, it's a damn good one. What would be better though was if you had less clothing on. Boxers or briefs, Trent Love?" The image of Kisten flashed through her mind briefly and was gone. The ache had lessened, but not disappeared.

He smirked devilishly at her. "What if I go commando?"

"Delicious, but only in jeans. It would be a little odd to go commando in pressed dress-pants." She reached forward and began unbuttoning his shirt, drawing him in for another deep kiss. He stood, brushing off her fingers, and removed his jacket. He quickly discarded the shirt and shucked the pants. She gazed up at him with a critical eye. He knew he looked good, but she made him want to squirm. Feeling self-conscious for the first time in ages, he knelt back down in front of her. She smiled and dropped a light kiss on his mouth. "You look nervous."

"What?"

"You. You looked nervous. I wonder why? You don't have anything to be nervous about."

He averted his eyes and rocked back on his heels. "Well, this is awkward. Rachel, ever since…well ever since camp, you've taken no pains in telling me how much you dislike me. How is that nothing to be nervous about?"

She cupped his face in her hand, drawing his eyes back to her. She smiled. "Trent, not matter how much I _told_ you I didn't like you, did I ever tell you that you were unattractive?" His brow furrowed. "First, I cannot believe you are getting self-conscious! Especially with me! And second, you are probably the most attractive man I have ever met. Ever when I was trying to convince myself that I hated you, I still thought you were too damn hot for your own good. What happened to your ego, Trent? Am I that intimidating?" She grinned.

"Yes! You do strange things to me. You always have! Since the first time I set eyes on you. You shake my confidence. Why should I ever have thought well of myself, if you thought badly of me?"

"That's incredibly sweet in a twisted kind of way. Now, kiss me damn it!"

He grinned wickedly as she ran her hands up his chest. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he murmured, "For you, Rachel? Anything."


	4. Epilogue

MANY YEARS LATER…

Rachel stood with her back to the setting sun. The church loomed next to her, an ever-growing shadow. Inside, her husband sat drinking tea, chatting with Ceri, and watching her through the window. She smiled and waved. Trent nodded. He looked away quickly, glancing down. Her smile grew soft as she realized that he was probably being tugged at by one of the children. Hers and Ceri's were running wild throughout the house, as they did every Friday evening, when the Kalamack family joined Quen's family for the weekend.

The sun dipped behind the horizon and Rachel sighed. She had been thinking about how she'd gotten so lucky and where the stability in her life had come from. She realized that she had Al to thank for it all. She would explain that to him today, she though smiling. _That'd make him really annoyed! He hates my family, especially Trent. I bet it still bugs him that Trent's children will never be demons!_

Biting her lip, she pulled a line and with one more look through the kitchen window, she made the jump into the Ever-After. Al was awaiting her on the other side. "Well, my itchy-witch, you're getting much better at that. You might even be passable some day."

She chuckled as they began the short walk to his apartment. "I really should thank you, Al."

He raised one beautifully sculpted eyebrow. "For teaching you to travel the lines? I had to do it eventually, now didn't I? It was becoming such a bore to have to retrieve you every time."

"No, Al. For my life. Everything I have now, my children, Trent, everything. I owe all that to you." His eyes widened dramatically and his lips parted. "It's true. You are the reason I was shunned. If I hadn't been shunned, Trent would never have publicly endorsed me to the press and I would have never known he loved me. We would never have been married, a couple years later. If we hadn't have been married, I would never have my three lovely little girls. Ivy and I would never have found a blood balance, with Trent's help. He would have never found the drug that helped elongate Jenks and Matalina's lives. Ceri would never had children with Quen. Without your warning, I would never have even suspected what Pierce was up to. Even my mom might not have married Tak-Donald." The more she spoke the sicker Al looked. "So really, I have you to thanks for everything."

When he spoke, there was no trace of the pretentious and fake British accent. "Rachel Mariana Morgan, you sure know how to kicked a guy where it hurts." He shook his head and sped up his pace.

Looking confused, Rachel followed more slowly. What was wrong with him? When she reached his open door, Al had collected himself. His usual sneer was back in place. He had traded his velvets for a pair of casual jeans and a button down. She blinked. "You look good in modern casuals."

He raised his eyebrow and smirked. She rolled her eyes, this promised to be a really long day.

24 hours later, Al jumped her back over the lines, still in his casuals. She stepped out of the line with him, to find Trent seated on a cracked tombstone. His arms were crossed over his chest and his head drooped. He jerked alert when they appeared, however, and his brow furrowed. "Rache?"

"Trent! You didn't have to wait out here for me! Weren't they predicting an early snow?" He shook his head and stepped forward, eyeing Al suspiciously.

Al grinned wickedly and placed a familiar hand on Rachel's back. She stiffened. Turning to him with narrowed eyes, she raised her eyebrow in question. He simply smirked back. She glanced between him and Trent. Then back again. "Oooh…oh. I get it now!" Al stilled, the smirk becoming forced. "I understand now…'So softly it starts'…" Al dropped his hand and stepped back into the line. Rachel grabbed his wrist. "No. You will stay and answer my question first."

He sneered at her. "You have no right, my itchy-witch, to order anything of me! Do not presume to order me around!" His red eyes narrowed.

"You don't scare me anymore, Al. You haven't scared me in years! I don't care if you go all demon-y and start throwing fire or whatever shit is your favorite threat for this week. Those were your words, all those years ago. That's what you said to me! Does it mean what I think it means?"

He snarled at her. "You know nothing about me."

"Oh really?" She was getting angry now. Trent retreated a few steps, knowing from experience better then to try and mediate for her and the demon. She was just as scary, when truly angry, as Al had ever been. "I know nothing about you? It's been twenty five year, Algaliarept! Stop being defensive and answer my question! I don't care if Trent being here makes you uncomfortable!"

"Your little piece of shit plaything could not make a skittish colt uncomfortable! Come over here, you bitch, and I will show you uncomfortable!"

"Al, you couldn't seriously hurt me, if your life depended on it! Now answer the fucking question, demon!"

He stood, seething and breathing heavily. His mouth was a hard thin line. He stared at her, not speaking. She narrowed her eyes and stared back for several long minutes. "Fine," She said, her shoulders easing. "You don't have to admit it, but now I understand why you hate them all so much. Al, it has absolutely nothing to do with what you wear. You like the old velvet clothing. Wear it. I am still not ever going to have sex with you. I'm in love with my husband, murdering bastard that he is, and I would never betray him or our love like that, _not ever_. Be who you are and stop trying to change yourself to seduce me! It will never work!"

Al's eyes tightened and Rachel had a fleeting moment to wonder when his goat-eyes stopped being strange. "Rachel Mariana Morgan, you are as stupid and naïve as you were the first day I met you." He glanced to the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to lighten the sky. "I am not trying to seduce you. I am in love you."

In the blink of an eye, he had pulled a line and vanished. He left Rachel, open-mouthed and gaping at the place he had been. Trent stood frozen a few feet away. "Rachel?" He murmured after a several, silent moments. "May I ask what the hell that was?"

She turned to him with wide eyes. "I have no idea."

"Please tell me that the demon was just fucking with you?" He did not sound sure of himself at all.

"I…" She turned back to where Al had been. "I honestly don't think he was."

Trent exhaled sharply. She explained to him that moment when she had entered into the bargain that had rescued the elf from servitude in the ever-after. While she spoke, she stared at the line that Al had used to jump. She lapsed into silence again.

After a short pause, Trent spoke, "Well, I am going to have an even worse time now when you do your weekly 24 hours in apprenticeship. Now I'm going to be stuck here wondering if he is trying to seduce you, every time. Great! More stress."

Rachel, shaken out of her stupor, rolled her eyes and laughed. Turning to her husband, she went and hugged him. When he slipped his arms around her, she muttered. "He can try all he wants. He can love me all he wants, but I don't give a shit. I feel bad for him."

"What?" Trent looked down at her, worry lurking in his eyes.

"Well, the person he loves is completely and totally in love with someone else. I mean, not only are we married with children, but, even if we weren't, someone like him is not going to break our bond."

Trent's expression softened and he kissed her deeply. "Poor Al." He smiled. "By the way, your daughters wanted to see you, darling. Apparently you are they only one who can fix whatever it is that's wrong."

"Well let's go see what Acacia, Calantha, and Kalina want, then, shall we?"

"As always, Rache, for you? Anything."


End file.
